St. Louis Blues

Bruce Brodsky will never forget watching St. Louis Blues center Doug Wickenheiser score the winning goal — after what seemed like sure defeat — in Game Six of the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs.

“The rafters were shaking the people were banging their wooden seats, cheering, hugging, high fiving,” Brodsky said.

Today, Brodsky’s tickets to the game now known affectionately among fans as the Monday Night Miracle are on display at the St. Louis Public Library’s new exhibit: “50 Years of Blood, Sweat and Cheers-A Tribute to the St. Louis Blues and their Fans.” It runs at the library's central branch through March 4.

Following the selection of five St. Louis area players in the first round of this year's National Hockey League draft, officials with the Blues, Chicago Blackhawks and the NHL are convinced an outdoor game in January will help build on the sport's already solid footing in the region.

League Commissioner Gary Bettman stopped in St. Louis Tuesday to promote the Jan. 2, 2017, contest between the Blues and Blackhawks at Busch Stadium.

This commentary was originally posted on St. Louis Public Radio reporter Maria Altman’s Facebook page on January 14, 2016. It was recorded for “St. Louis on the Air” on January 19, 2016. Listen to the radio commentary here:

Even though he only played a handful of games with the St. Louis Blues, the National Hockey League’s most successful goaltender ever is comfortable enough with the organization, and the city, to hang around a bit longer.

Martin Brodeur officially hung up his skates Thursday and accepted a front office job with the hockey team.

He is now senior advisor to the team’s General Manager Doug Armstrong, as the Blues prepare for a Stanley Cup push by relying on a new executive who did it all as a player.

The St. Louis Blues kicked off their training camp Sunday morning with a practice that was free to the public.

Even though the team has a shortened season, plenty of fans are happy a lengthy labor standoff between players and owners has been put to rest.

Paul Fries was one of more than 6,000 people who finally got to see their team take the ice, though he thought the months-long staring contest between players and owners would derail the National Hockey League this year.

“I was really thinking there probably wouldn’t be a season,” Fries said.

A former college hockey player who says he's been a Blues fan since moving to St. Louis 20 years ago is the new lead owner of the franchise.

The St. Louis Blues officially unveiled Tom Stillman, the chairman and CEO of Summit Distributors, on Thursday. The National Hockey League approved the sale on Tuesday, and the deal closed on Wednesday.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the sale of the team to a group led by St. Louis-area businessman Tom Stillman could close on Wednesday, with a news conference announcing the sale as early as Thursday.

The Post-Dispatch says Hall of Famer Brett Hull is expected to be named to a management position.

St. Louis police say a man upset with his ex-girlfriend shot her and her mother to death then set a fire before leaving two young children locked in an apartment. The suspect's 10-month-old son died of smoke inhalation and a 3-year-old girl was critically injured. Prosecutors charged 23-year-old Eric Lawson on Sunday with three counts of first-degree murder and nine other charges, including arson. Police say 22-year-old Breiana Ray and her mother, 50-year-old Gwendolyn Ray, died Saturday of gunshot wounds to the head. Aiden Lawson died of smoke inhalation. The 3-year-old girl was taken to a hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. Her name was not released.

The St. Louis Blues are in the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time in a decade, and Mayor Slay is honoring the resurgent team.

Slay declared Friday as St. Louis Blues Day and is asking St. Louisans to wear blue in recognition of the day. The Blues open the second round of the playoffs with a home game Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.

Jamie Langenbrunner and David Perron scored two goals in 45 seconds, and Andy McDonald added an empty-net insurance tally late in the third period as the St. Louis Blues won their first playoff series in a decade, beating the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Scottrade Center.

After 13 months and 97 games, David Perron is ready to lace up the skates once again.

The St. Louis Blues announced today that Perron, the 23-year-old right-winger, will be on the ice when the Blues take on their division rival Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Perron suffered a concussion on Nov. 4, 2010 after being hit by Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks and hasn't played since.

Updated at 11:10 p.m. to correct name and title of team general manager in caption.

The St. Louis Blues have fired head coach Davis Payne, and hired Ken Hitchcock to take his place.

Payne earned a 67-55-15 record with the Blues, but missed the playoffs in both 2010 and 2011. He was the coach of the team's minor league affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, before being named the interim head coach of the Blues on January 2, 2010. The team removed the interim title on April 4, 2010.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dave Checketts has a verbal agreement to sell a majority stake in the St. Louis Blues to Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer. As part of the deal, Checketts could remain with the club in some capacity.

The St. Louis Blues are for sale. Team chairman Dave Checketts said Wednesday night that his group, Sports Capital Partners Worldwide, and Towerbrook Capital Partners have placed the NHL franchise and the Scottrade Center on the market. The two groups own roughly 90 percent of the franchise. Checketts, who placed at least a pair of deadlines on the table regarding purchasing majority ownership, cited a difference in terms with TowerBrook on the value of the franchise.